Container opening key



Aug. 11, 1959 INVENTOR.

EDWARD 0. THEN ATTORNEYS United States Patent fice 2,899,102 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 CONTAINER OPENING KEY Edward 0. Then, Newark, N.J., assignor to American fan Company, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New ersey Application August 9, 1957, Serial No. 677,335

2 Claims. (Cl. 220- 52) The present invention relates to a key for removing a tear-strip from cans or containers and has particular reference to strip guiding devices on the key.

An object of the instant invention is the provision of a key that guides the tear-strip as it is removed from the container and wound up in a coil on the key shank and thereby keeps the coil as it builds up, in properly aligned relation and thus tends to facilitate removal of the strip and protect the user against injury by the strip.

Another object is to provide such a key which locates itself on the container relative to the tear-strip to facilitate proper removal of the strip from the container.

Another object is to provide such a key that can be readily and economically manufactured from a single strand of stiff wire and in one piece so as to avoid assembly of loose pieces to produce the key.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of a tear-strip container, carrying an opening key embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the key applied to the container and in an advanced position during the removal of the strip;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of the key; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of one end of the key showing a slightly modified form of the key.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawing discloses a novel key A (Fig. l) for opening a sealed sheet metal can or container B comprising a tubular body C having top and bottom end members D permanently secured thereto by suitable end seams E. The body C is provided with an encircling tear-strip F preferably disposed adjacent the top of the container and adapted to be torn out to open the container. The tear-strip F preferably is defined by a pair of spaced and parallel score lines or otherwise weakened areas G to facilitate tearing out of the strip. A tongue H formed on one end of the tear-strip F preferably is provided to start the tearing action.

The key A is made in one piece from a single strand of stiff wire and comprises a straight shank 21 preferably having a flat loop handle 22 formed on one end thereof for turning the key. The side of the handle 22, adjacent the shank 21 preferably is straight and substantially coextensive with the top edge of the container end seam B so as to ride or have riding engagement on the seam when the key is applied to the container as shown in Fig. 2 to locate certain portions of the key, hereinafter explained, relative to the tear-strip F to facilitate proper removal of the strip. The key handle or head 22 thus constitutes a locating projection on the key.

At its opposite end and at a predetermined distance from the handle 22 the key shank 21 is provided with an axially aligned, preferably flattened extension '23 upon which the tear-strip F is wound in coil formation as shown in Fig. 2 when the key is applied to the container and rotated on its axis by the handle 22. This extension 23 is located directly opposite the tear-strip F when the key isapplied to the container and is maintained in this location duringrotation' of the key, by theengagement of the key handle 22 with the container end seam E as mentioned above, the key handle serving during this rotation as the locating projection. The extension 23 is provided with a longitudinal slot 24 to receive the tongue H of the tear-strip F to start the tearing action in the usual manner.

The terminal end of the shank extension 23 opposite the handle 22 is provided with a laterally extended lug or guide projection 26 (Fig. 2) which preferably extends outwardly at right angles to the shank extension for a distance less than the radial span or length of the loop handle 22 so as to prevent interference with the riding engagement of the handle on the container end seam E. At its outer end the projection 26 is bent back or reversely folded on itself as a leg 27 and projects transversely of and beyond the opposite side of the shank extension 23 forming an inverted T with the extension. This guide projection 26 is located in spaced relation to the loop handle 22, so that when the key is applied to the container, the projection is disposed adjacent the lower edge of the tear-strip as it is torn from the container and thereby guides the strip and insures its winding up on the shank extension 23 in proper coil formation, without injury to the operator of the key.

In a modified form of the invention as disclosed in Fig. 4 the portion of the reversely folded leg 27 which extends back beyond the shank extension 23 as a free end, is bent upwardly into the plane of the guide projection 26 and thus provides an additional lug or guide projection 28 located in opposed and cooperating relation to the guide projection 26.

In order to secure the key A to the container B for shipment and use therewith an integral tab 31 (Figs. 1 and 5) preferably is provided on the terminal end of the folded back leg 27 of the guide projection 26. This tab 31 may be an axially aligned extension of the leg 27 as shown in Fig. 1 or may be angularly disposed to the leg 27 as shown in Fig. 5. In the case of the modified form of the invention as shown in Fig. 4, the tab 31 preferably is provided on the terminal end of a reversely bent portion 32 of the additional guide projection 28. In any case the tab 31 preferably is flattened to facilitate welding or soldering of the tab to the top D of the container and is also connected to the leg 27 or bent back portion 32, by a score line or other weakened area to facilitate breaking of the key from the tab in the usual manner for use in removing the tear-strip F.

It is thought that the invention and many of its at tendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A key for removing a tear-strip from a container, comprising a one-piece stiff wire member having one end bent into a flat loop handle terminating in a centrally disposed angularly extending shank having a slotted intermediate portion for receiving the end of said tearing strip, the free end of said key shank having a laterally bent portion projecting in a direction normal to said 3 shank, said laterally bent shank portion terminating in a reversely folded shank end projecting in the opposite direction and normal to said shank, said laterally bent shank portion constituting means for supporting the tearstrip convolutions in concentric coil formation on the intermediate slotted portion of said shank, the bottom surface of said loop handle being spaced a predetermined distance from said shank slot so that it will engage against the top of the container to locate the key and maintain the key slot in alignment with said tear-strip during'the container opening operation.

2. A key for removing a tear strip from a container as defined in claim 1, wherein said reversely folded shank 4 w end is bent upwardly into the plane of said laterally bent shank portion to cooperate with the latter in maintaining the tear-strip convolutions in said concentric coil formation on opposite sides of said key shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,552,961 Grossenbach May 15, 1951 2,735,576 Wilkins Feb. 21, 1956 2,744,652 McDermott May 8, 1956 2,750,070 Foley June 12, 1956 

